The Bristol Blog features news and information about Bristol, Connecticut.

March 6, 2009

No arrest in hit and run likely for months

Though police know who was driving the white Chevrolet pickup truck that struck and killed a 14-year-old boy on George shortly after dark on Thursday, they probably won't make an arrest for at least a few months.Lt. Kevin Morrell said it takes that long to assemble the forensic, medical and other evidence necessary to bring charges.For now, the police aren't even identifying the George Street man whose car killed Bristol Central High School freshman Henry Waye.When the police caught up with him about an hour and 15 minutes after the accident, he was intoxicated and threatening suicide, according to Mayor Art Ward, who said he heard details from the police.The man was taken to Bristol Hospital for care, the mayor said.Morrell said that he can't comment on an "ongoing investigation" or say anything about" anybody who was transported."Morrell did not, however, deny the mayor got it right.Morrell said the suspect was cooperative "to some extent" when police caught up with him after finding the truck about 100 yards past the scene of the hit and run.Morrell would not confirm that the driver had been drinking, but Lt. Edward Spyros said this morning that alcohol may have been a factor in the accident.The boy who was walking with Waye as they pushed their bicycles up George Street "gave us a great description of the truck" -- right down to the ladder rack in the back that didn't hold a ladder -- that helped police locate it quickly.Since the man could have begun drinking after the accident, police didn't take a breath or blood test to check his alcohol levels, Morrell said.The obvious investigation then would be to find out where he was drinking beforehand."I think we know that," Morrell said, "if he were to have been drinking."Police got a search warrant Friday to check out the truck for forensic evidence. It's already ben impounded.Morrell said he anticipates charges will be filed, but not soon.In the meantime, the suspect is free to keep right on driving.I'm not sure why the police are withholding the suspect's name. After all, at the very least he was involved in an accident, which are routinely detailed in police reports that are public records.*******Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

26 comments:

Anonymous
said...

This stinks to high heavens!

I'll bet the S.O.B. is a D.A.V. and Arty is directing the Police not to release the jerk's name.

Come on, Steve, do your job and investigate. How many people near the scene of the accident own a white Chevy pickup? If the truck was impounded, then go to the impound lot and run a search on the license plate number.

The truck is almost certainly under the police department in the garage, where I have no access. I also have no ability to run a plate number. That's what the police do, not reporters (though some police reporters can sometimes get cops to run plates for them).As for doing my job and investigating, where the hell do you think you're learning what happened? I've spent the whole day getting what we know so far, which is a whole lot more than anyone else is offering yet.There will be more in the paper tomorrow, too. So buy it!

What stinks to high heaven is someone pathetic enough to use a tragic accident to bash the mayor by making assinine assumptions and ridiculous accusations....we already know who the real jerk is....jerk!

"I'm not sure why the police are withholding the suspect's name. After all, at the very least he was involved in an accident, which are routinely detailed in police reports that are public records."

Steve,

I'm surprised at your inflammatory comments. As a person who is well versed in FOI laws you should know, but maybe need to be reminded, that the police routinely withhold a suspect's name while there is an ongoing investigation which this incident is. This is nothing new and it's appropriate, I think, since the person hasn't been charged.

As for your assertion about police reports bearing a driver's name: Your correct but the reports aren't available under FOI to the public until the case has been closed by the police, which this case hasn't.

As a journalist, you should be more careful with your comments because I know you know better.

The police CHOOSE to withhold a "suspect's" name. It is not mandated that they do so. There is nothing in the state Freedom of Information Act that says cops can just keep basic information like who was driving a vehicle that was in an accident out of the public eye. Other accidents don't have to reach the "case closed" stage before people know who was driving.

The drunken man killed a boy, they know who it is, why was he not arrested immediately? it has nothing to do with getting an investigation right. They can always add charges later. I think it's absurd that they are witholding his name and not charging him with something right away, to suggest it may take MONTHS to charge him is a bunch of bull. I really hope it's not because this guy is a friend of a friend of someone. Since he hasn't even been charge with anything, couldn't he just leave the country?

What's really absurd is how petty some people are. A child was killed. The police did their job and found the vehicle involved. The dots have to be connected to the driver. Once all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed, I'm sure we'll get the fool's name....so for those of you who feel the need to bitch about EVERYTHING...let's just offer the child's family our thoughts and prayers and let the police department finish their job.

Why pick on the Mayor. He only stated the truth. Why pick on veterans, at this time we know nothing about the driver. I am upset that someone should state in this blog that veterans are drunks. That is what Anonymous is stating when he stated "S.O.B. is a D.A.V. I am a veterans and I am not. Only a jerk would say something like that. This is about a person that hit and killed a boy in the beginning of life. I know the family and was called a little after 7pm about it and got updates thru the night. We should be morning this boy and not using it to attack the veterans and the Mayor. Shames on you all for that.

WHO CARES! All that really matters is that this was a horrible, tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers should be with this family. Your comments are pointless and actually border on cruel....you seriously need to take a look at your priorities.

The issue with the mayor is that he has no business commenting: on something that he is not involved with, an issue that is an ongoing investigation, on the status of the individual that has not been officially determined, and an issue that is sad and unfortunate and that by politicians becoming involved, only tends to make it more speculative and public, as has been already proven.

If they guy was threatening suicide then let him do it. Eye for an eye, not to mention the savings to taxpayers by not having to spend $$$ investigating, and then jailing this miserable SOB. The Police know he did it, so give the man a rope and lock the door behind you.

What usually happens when there is a tragedy like this is a reporter calls the mayor and asks him for his comments. If he doesn't have any, the reporter says the mayor had no comment or refused to comment. So the mayor can either say something or look like he doesn't care.

Bristol PD can't release this guy's name we are told, but the State Police release the name of the guy who killed the Connecticut College student this weekend. They also said he appeared to have been drinking at the Mohegan sun casino. They, like the Bristol PD, said they would have to investigate more but they put out the guy's name and this notion of a possible DWI as well.

When the State Police handle an accident one way and the Bristol PD handles the same type of incident a different way, it makes you wonder. This is a valid topic of discussion, given the suspicion created by the poor handling of other cases by the "do nothing detective" - that there is a systemic procedural problem in the Bristol PD.

A decent interval in respect for the Bristol child's family was called for but now a rational explanation for the difference in the way the cases were handled is needed.

The question should be, why are the State Police so quick to release information before they really know anything? Maybe they are more concerned with LOOKING like they are doing their job than actually DOING their job. And how much of the public's insatiable demand for "information" is really just ghoulish curiosity?

Bristol has a problem in general. They could care less what peoples perception is. This goes for the PD, City Unions, The Hospital and everything in between. People here just don't care what others think anymore. They do things how they want to do them. Not how we expect them to be done. I know this is a broad statemtn, but if you stop to think about it, its true.

enough said on what everyone didn't do...how about what Henry' friend, Logan, DID DO...this poor boy was right next to his friend when everything happened but yet he was able to describe the truck in complete details & call 911 & was assisting his friend upon police and ems arrival...what a horrible thing for this boy to witness but what a brave & true friend to be able to do what he did for Henry...not many of us adults would be able to what Logan was able to do for Henry...i can only imagine the survior's guilt that Logan must be carrying on his sholders right now, wondering if he could of done more for his friend...only time and assuring Logan that he did everything he could for his friend is so much more helpful at this time...

What should Steve do if the Press closes?

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

FEED FOR THIS BLOG

Poll results

With two polls completed now, we know that I should try to get a job as an ambassador and that most Bristol residents will get their news from the bar gossip at the American Legion hall if the Press closes.